TURKEY AGREES TO TWO ENERGY SEMINARS

UNCLAS ANKARA 003649 SIPDIS SIPDIS DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - CHARLES WASHINGTON USDOC FOR 4212/ITA/MAC/CPD/CRUSNAK PASS EXIMBANK FOR MARGARET KOSTIC USAID FOR NATHAN BLANCHET E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG SENV BEXP EAID TU SUBJECT: TURKEY AGREES TO TWO ENERGY SEMINARS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. ¶1. (SBU) In two diplomatic notes sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 13, the Turkish government signaled its formal acceptance of two energy/environmental workshops to be conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy. Immediate next steps include setting dates, venues, and agendas for the two events. -------------- CLAN COAL WORKSHOP -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Following up on a May 10 meeting in Ankara between Ministry of Energy and Natural Resures (MENR) officials and DOE international afairs officer Charles Washington, the first note looks forward to a workshop on "Environmental Technologies and Clean Coal Technology." It notes that this workshop would fall under the existing cooperation agreement between DOE and MENR. The note proposes October 6 or October 13 as the date of the workshop. -------------- ENERGY EFFICIENT HOUSING WORKSHOP -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The second note welcomes DOE's proposal to hold a workshop on "Energy Conservation and the Building of Earthquake Resistant Housing." This workshop would also be held under the auspices of the bilateral cooperation agreement. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (SBU) These two notes signal that MENR has obtained interagency agreement in the Turkish government to hold the two workshops and that the Ministry is serious about going ahead. The Embassy looks forward to working with DOE to bring these projects, which have the potential to promote U.S. exports and technology, to fruition. Immediate next steps include agreeing to an October date for the clean coal seminar and setting a time for the housing event. WILSON